The present invention generally pertains to surgical lights and more particularly to a light for vaginal speculums.
In the examination and treatment of interior body cavities it is usually necessary to employ an instrument to dilate the body cavities. Speculums of various kinds have been devised for this purpose.
Generally speculums which are used are of a type which permit rotary or arcuate relative movement of the blades. In such speculums, a pivotal or hinged connection is provided between the blades. As the blades are moved relative to one another they describe an arcuate path about a transverse axis passing through the pivotal connection.
Other speculums such as the one shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,246,646 are constructed to permit relative angular rotation as well as bodily separation of the blades.
Regardless of which kind of speculum is used in the surgical examination or usage it is necessary to provide a source of light into the body cavity so that the same can be examined or acted upon. Previous means of providing such illumination have been for a physician to hold a light in one hand and try to illuminate the interior cavity or to reflect light from some exterior source off of a reflector placed on the head or on some portion of the physician's body into the body cavity. The present invention provides a portable light which is adapted to be removably placed onto a variety of speculum instruments so that illumination can be directed into the body cavity when the speculum blades are separated to expand the entrance orifice. In addition, the light is novelly placed in a thin plastic bag so that the light is sanitary during use and can be reused on additional speculums for other examinations. This use of a throw away transparent plastic covering or bag over-comes the difficulty involved in the sterilization or cleaning of previously used light sources resulting in battery destruction or in the use of cumbersome light devices. Furthermore, the small size of the light casing and easy adaptability of fastening the casing onto the speculum instrument allows for aligned easy illumination of the body cavity without unduly incumbering the physician.
The above mentioned purposes are more readily apparent when read in conjunction with the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.